


The One Left Behind

by gracethescribbler



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Bad Batch - Freeform, CT-7567 | Rex Needs a Hug, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Introspection, Loneliness, POV CT-7567 | Rex, Post Episode: s07e04 Unfinished Business, Rex Deserves Better, Soft Bros, Spoilers for Season 7 Episode 4, no editing we die like men, rex feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23137318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gracethescribbler/pseuds/gracethescribbler
Summary: I had a lot of feelings about Rex in that last scene of episode 4, so I needed to write something. Rex is tired of losing and tired of ending up alone, so he goes and talks to Cody.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex, CT-21-0408 | Echo & CT-7567 | Rex
Comments: 11
Kudos: 139





	The One Left Behind

**Author's Note:**

> look can we all just pretend that this ends happily and Rex doesn't lose literally everyone he ever loves and Cody doesn't have a chip and it's all fine? please? no?
> 
> I just really hurt after today's episode and I needed to write a fic about it.

When the Bad Batch lands on Anaxes again and the Generals commend all of them for their service, Rex can almost feel Echo's restlessness and discomfort next to him, although his little brother doesn't say anything and, to all other eyes, would look resolute and determined. Rex knows, though, the last time Echo was in this position, hale and healthy and proud, Fives had been right beside him and it'd been Rex himself who'd pinned medals to their chests. Echo hasn't asked after Fives, and Rex hasn't given him the answer to the unspoken question - after so long in the war, both of them know that brothers die often and it's sometimes easiest not to talk about it until the pain has settled, and Fives' absence during Echo's rescue had been answer enough. Before, Fives would have been right beside Rex for that mission, no matter what it took.

Now Echo's  _ ori'vod _ is gone and Rex thinks it would hurt them both too much to discuss it. For now, he tells himself, they can just be grateful that Echo's home - Kix and Jesse will love to see him, and they can get him the armor that'll suit him, and maybe (although it's a sentimental thought) Rex can help him put a handprint back on his armor. Like old times, he tells himself. The closest they could get.

But when he moves to follow the Generals, Echo is slow to follow, and Rex stops, sees him talking quietly with Hunter, and his chest tightens on a shaky inhale. Echo has been through too much, perhaps, to want to come back and try to fit into the battalion, where he won't look like the rest of them any longer, where his closest brother is gone and where he has to pretend to be the same as he was when he left. Rex should have known, and he can hardly blame his little brother, who he's always been so proud of, so as Echo looks after the Bad Batch headed back towards their transport, he musters a smile and walks back to Echo, who already has a little skull painted on his cuirass instead of 501st blue. Courtesy of Tech, but still.

"Those are some of the finest troopers I've ever fought alongside," he says, means it entirely, even though it hurts to say it at the same time. They helped him get his brother back, he only hopes they'll help Echo feel himself again. But Echo seems distracted, eyes distant, hardly even seeming to hear him, and it tears Rex up a little inside. He reaches over, squeezes his brother’s shoulder. “Echo,” he says, firm and gentle, and Echo glances at him, almost startled. Rex knows what his job is, what it’s always been. To make sure his men are safe, that they get to have as much freedom as they’re allowed in their world. “You and I go way back. If that’s where you feel your place is, then that’s where you belong.”

He turns, lets it be an easy goodbye, walks away although he wants so badly to stay. It feels, like so many other things,  _ unfair. _ He knows better, but he can’t help glancing back, because he needs to remember that at least Echo isn’t really  _ gone, _ just leaving. Doing something better, hopefully.

Somehow it’s a painful relief when Echo hesitates, beside Wrecker, and looks back too, serious and sad. They both know things can’t go back to normal, nothing ever does.

But they can imagine, sometimes.

Echo, determinedly, raises his mechanical arm in a firm salute, and the rest of Clone Force 99 salute too. Rex swallows against an ache in his chest and returns the gesture, steady, although he almost feels like he can't breathe.

When they turn away again, Rex bows his head and walks toward the command center, where he knows the Generals are waiting for him. He brushes off General Skywalker's question about Echo, says that the Corporal and Clone Force 99 hadn't felt that they wanted the attention of the medals. Rex feels as if his General is staring at him, pitying, but he doesn't acknowledge it as General Kenobi thanks him again for his service and he's allowed to leave.

He goes to visit Cody. He hasn't seen him since they sent him back to medbay, and the idea of going back to the barracks alone is too much. He knows Cody will understand, better than anyone.

Cody has been cleared to leave the medbay, had even been fighting with the others, so Rex finds him busy overseeing his troops transferring from Anaxes back onto Kenobi’s cruiser. When Rex walks up to him, Cody turns, looks up from his datapad, and his expression softens slightly, although Rex isn’t sure anyone but him would notice. “Rex,” he says, nodding. “Heard a rumor our friend Echo didn’t show up to get his medal.”

“No,” Rex says, shaking his head, his hand tightening around his bucket where he holds it under his arm. “He felt like he fit better with the Bad Batch, went with them. I guess it’s sort of fitting.”

“Doesn’t sound like Echo,” Cody says, mildly, setting aside his datapad altogether. He’s giving Rex a searching look that’s become all too familiar lately, all concern. “I remember he was always real proud when we were handing out medals and promotions.”

“I know.” Rex folds his hands behind his back, swallows. “I, ah- You know, things change, I guess.”

Cody considers him another moment, then glances around. “Do you wanna go somewhere quiet?” he asks, casual. Rex nods, quickly, and Cody makes an understanding noise. “Alright, come on,  _ ori’vod. _ The boys’ll handle themselves.”

They go to the  _ Resolute, _ leave their troops to move armaments and inventory back onto the ship and settle themselves in the mess, which is empty and silent and dim on low-power lighting. Rex folds his hands on the table, Cody next to him, and tries to think what to say. He just feels tired, and  _ gods, _ so disappointed, although he should know better by now.

“Are you actually gonna talk to me, Rex, or should we have brought something to drink?” Cody asks, and Rex shakes his head.

“Sorry,” he says, rubbing his face. “I just-” he has to clear his throat, pained, “-thought this was gonna go differently.”

“I know.” Cody settles his elbows on the table, quiet, watching Rex. He seems tired too, probably really shouldn’t have been back out on the battlefield, but Cody’s stubborn and always pushes his boundaries.

Rex looks away from him, back at the table. “I thought… You could’ve died back there, Codes. I lost Hardcase ages ago, and Echo after that, and Tup and Fives… I guess I thought maybe-” He shakes his head, almost ashamed of himself, feels like he’s being childish. “I thought it would feel like before, Cody, before everything went to hells and I kept losing our brothers. I’ve  _ missed  _ him, I’ve said his name in my remembrances and I finally got him back and he’s- Well, he’s not the same. I shouldn’t be upset, it’s not his fault.” But it still feels wrong, because Echo is supposed to be his little brother who can’t get over the reg manual but still acts like a little shit because he knows Fives will get blamed, Echo is supposed to be here in 501st blue awkwardly asking Rex if he wouldn’t mind putting a handprint on Echo’s armor again  _ because, well sir, it looked cool, is all. _

Rex knows he can’t hold his brothers back from what little choice they have. He knows that Echo needed to get away from the memory of Fives and the pressure to be someone he wasn’t anymore. He knows that it’s always been his job to take care of his brothers and make sure they’re alright and it’s his job to keep moving when everyone dies because he told Anakin, he knows,  _ you can’t hold on to brothers, _ because all of them die, that’s what he’s learned. You let go and move on. He knows.

But just once, he wishes it wasn’t his job. He wishes he didn’t have to pretend he didn’t want so badly to hang onto his brothers that it ached, because he’s so tired of being alone and so tired of losing them. And gods, the fact that it’s only a miracle and dumb luck that Cody’s sitting here now…

“I can’t take much more of this,” he says, quietly, realizing too late that he’s choked up, his voice coming out hoarse and small. “I’m tired of losing, Cody, I can’t keep doing this.”

Cody puts a hand on his shoulder, gentle but firm, and Rex is almost afraid to look at him. “I’m sorry,” Cody says, almost  _ soft, _ “I know it’s been getting worse, lately. I’ve heard a lot of talk about how the war’s getting close to a tipping point, but I don’t know how they figure that.”

Rex shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter, Cody,” which he doesn’t even mean, but at the same time… “They don’t care about us now, and they’re not gonna care about us after the war, and I…” The suspicions that have been nagging at him for so long, about how Fives had died, about his talk of the nightmares, the biochips, they come to the forefront of his mind, but he can’t talk to Cody about that now. Cody’s worried about him enough as it is, even if his last insane theory had been true, so he just shakes his head again. “I thought  _ you  _ were gonna die on me, Codes.”

He looks up, swallowing, and Cody is looking at him with an expression that would seem like pity on anyone else, but Rex knows that with Cody, that’s not what it is. Cody sighs, reaches out and curves his palm over the back of Rex’s neck, steadying, and leans his forehead against Rex’s with a quiet sigh. Rex leans into him, closes his eyes, tries to trust the reality of Cody’s fingers combing through the short hair at the back of his head, the sound of his breathing, normal and even and alive.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Cody says, quiet, and Rex is so grateful his  _ ori’vod _ understands, isn’t brushing aside his fears. “We’ll be okay, Rex.”

Rex squeezes his eyes more tightly shut and pulls back, rubbing harshly at his face. “I don’t know,” he says, honest and exhausted. “I don’t know anymore, Cody.”

Cody looks at him for another long moment, then nods. “Well, still. I promise I’ll be here, even it’s not, okay?”

“Okay,” Rex whispers, although they should never promise things like that, but it feels too much like safety when Cody says it. A long time ago, he wouldn’t struggle to believe it, but even Ahsoka has left now, so it feels too easy for things to fall apart. Right now, he thinks, it’s okay to accept one promise. Just one. He and Cody have made it this far, and it’s too hard to think about losing him, so he stares at his folded hands against the table and breathes in and out, slow. “I’ll be here too, Cody.”

“I know.” Cody shifts over so that his shoulder is pressed against Rex’s, a supportive pressure, and although it’s not any better, now, at least he doesn’t feel so alone.


End file.
